The packaging or crating of heavy, bulky items, such as water heaters, cylindrical tanks or the like, for shipment or storage has heretofore been a costly, ineffective and difficult operation. Normally such an operation required the talents of one or more skilled carpenters or persons possessed of a high degree of dexterity. Furthermore, the crating operation was awkward and time-consuming and necessitated maintaining a large inventory of lumber, fasteners such as nails and staples, and baling wire or steel strapping. Once the product was crated or packaged in accordance with prior practice, the exterior of the product was normally exposed to weather, dirt, dust or other foreign matter, and was susceptible to defacement or vandalism.
Because the top and bottom of the product, such as a water heater, normally embodied numerous exposed appurtenances, e.g. valves, gauges, pipe connectors, etc., it was difficult to properly encase and brace such appurtenances so as to prevent damage thereto during handling of the crated product.